WEEKLY CHAT (NON-OSPREY) SUNDAY JANUARY 3, 2021

Good Morning. Shocking events yesterday in USA. Hopefully now it will all calm down, and what has happened will have shocked the population sufficiently to see what a mess they've got into. All due to one selfish egotistical maniac <sigh>
Another very frosty start here today. I must go out later to return to something I bought (shoes!!!!) And grab milk etc to last until weekend. We are going out as little as possible. My poor OH is missing his golf, and has a friend who is not allowed to sit on a riverbank, peaceably fishing, either, which seems pretty crazy.

Annette and Gardenbirder: Yup. The U.S. Constitution specifies the exact date for every step in the transition to a new president, including the certification and the inauguration. The Constitution requires that Congress certify the election on January 6. The legal language is very clear. That's why I said that the process had to happen before midnight, because after midnight, it would be January 7. I'd have to research whether provisions exist under which the law can be violated, and I don't have my new modem-router yet for my PC. It's arriving tomorrow! But we are clearly no longer a nation of laws, anyway. Democracy has been in peril for a long time.

Legal scholars told The New York Times that because the certification process had begun and was in progress, a delay of 5 days can be constitutional. After that more restrictions apply. But this provision is only valid in this case because the process had begun. By the way, the box of actual electoral votes was saved from being destroyed by the insurrection mob yesterday by Senate floor staff who took the box and hid it.

Unknown said:

By the way, the box of actual electoral votes was saved from being destroyed by the insurrection mob yesterday by Senate floor staff who took the box and hid it.

Give those staffers a bonus!  Very quick thinking in terrible circumstances.

Apart from all the stuff going on in DC, Diane, how are you? I can't help but notice you're on here at what is an uncivilised time of day for you.

Can't help thinking a lot of this hoo ha could have been avoided if they had the same system here in the UK -- the removal vans wait around the corner virtually, to take out the losers stuff from No 10 as soon as the election result is declared. Then the very next day the winner meets with The Queen and then they're in. Done.

It's now a grey day here after a very foggy start. Not many people in the town and plenty of cars parked up in the streets as presumably folks are working from home.

Diane, I hope things get sorted out for you soon.

Civil war - just as we predicted - all caused by one right-wing, narcissistic, deluded would-be dictator. Feeling for all true Americans today. I hope that red button is well removed from the hands of you-know-who!

Woke to a thin layer of snow this morning and snowshowers have continued - together with sunshine from time to time bringing a partial thaw - will be nasty underfoot if it freezes tonight.

J has gone to his doc appt. I failed to get one, so am awaiting some sort of reply to my "e-consult" submision to get consultant's advice followed re pain relief..

I fled to my pruning chores yesterday then went for a walk later on so I wouldn't start on the wine too early. Can't add much more to what's been said. Still don't know why DT is still officially in office. I would love to see him arrested the day he's officially out. I wonder how the Republican party can ever recover from this but I'm sure they will.

Diane: Good to see you and hope the hardware arrives soon.

OH and I have stuff to do this morning; back later..

Lindy, It is probably a good thing that your OH cannot go to his golf club. I phoned an old friend yesterday, and her OH picked up the phone, which is unusual, as he is always on the golf course. He did not sound good, and said he had caught The Virus at his golf club. One member called to tell him he had tested positive, and he was unwell the next day, and my friend the day after that. Ten members of the club had caught it, and passed it on to another ten relatives. He said that they had observed the distancing rules in the clubhouse. One person needed hospital treatment. He had been infected since 19th December, and starts to feel better, then his temp goes up again and he is back to square one.. This new strain is obviously very infectious.

My OH received a phone call this morning to tell him he has a vaccination appt. tomorrow. He asked about me, but apparently only those 78 + at the moment. I am not (quite ) there yet. It is annoying though, as he is not well enough to go out on his own, and we have to take a taxi. I will need to make a second trip when my turn comes.
I am thankful that OH will have his vaccination, as he would not come out well from an infection.